Prized recruit Taane Samuel finally played in a full game for the De La Salle University Green Archers. And it came on the biggest of stages, as the 19-year-old got down and dirty in a hurry for La Salle.
Samuel, who stands at 6-foot-8, was not overwhelmed by the bright lights of the country’s premier collegiate rivalry game, tallying eight points, three rebounds, and a block in 17 minutes of action.
“For his first game I think he did very well already,” said first-year Green Archers head coach Louie Gonzalez after La Salle’s 62-71 loss to the Ateneo de Manila University.
Even if he had just recovered from a Jones fracture on his left knee, which he sustained back in September 9, Samuel was not afraid to get physical with the Blue Eagles. And it’s because of his background as a rugby player.
“I’m kind of used to the physicality, coming into the rugby background before basketball. If someone pushes, I’ll push back,” he shared.
“I mean it’s nothing new to me, I’ll just keep matching and keep trying to play like how they play.”
Moreover, he showed that he will always have his teammates’ backs.
During the second stanza, Isaac Go and Aljun Melecio collided with each other, and Samuel made sure to make Go knew how he felt about it. And it’s because he is repaying the trust his teammates gave him during his recovery.
“I had a lot of help from the boys.
“The team backing me, just telling me to get my head right. It was tough coming from an injury, especially since it’s my first big injury and I was out a couple of months. They really stayed by my side through everything, the coaches and even the parents of some of our teammates as well,” he disclosed.
Though still not at a 100-percent, Samuel declared that he will do whatever it takes to lift La Salle – not just to the Final Four, to the Finals.
“It’s gonna be really important, hopefully I find my groove in the next game or maybe in the next few training sessions,” the first-year Green Archer added.
“These games are gonna be big for us to get our team chemistry right up to the standard that we need to compete up to the finals.”
And Gonzalez is relieved that he finally has a full lineup at his disposal.
“Pero alam namin okay, this is a big, big challenge for us na kailangan mas madali, kumbaga only a few games left na eh,” he stressed.
“Kailangan mas mag-jell na si T sa team.”
